Continuous living cover crops and cropping systems for purposes of this grant refer to agroforestry, perennial biomass, perennial forage, perennial grains, and winter-annual cereal grains and oilseeds that have market value as harvested or grazed commodities.


Request for Proposals

The most recent RFP closed July 15, 2024. The MDA requested proposals for developing markets for continuous living cover. The state legislature provided funding to the MDA for grants to organizations in Minnesota to develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous-living cover crops and cropping systems in the early stages of commercial development. This was a onetime appropriation.

The MDA used a competitive review process to award grants. Selected projects are listed below.

Purpose

CLC crops have been shown to enhance water and soil quality, sequester carbon, build soil health, and provide greater biodiversity and pollinator habitat. Significant environmental benefits of these crops will result from widespread production, which requires robust value chains and markets.

The goal is to provide grants to CLC crops and cropping systems value chain enterprises for equipment infrastructure and business and market development. For example, this could include customized equipment to harvest the crop, clean and store seeds, and process crops for food products. The intended outcome is supply chain and market development that can increase CLC crops and cropping systems on agricultural lands in Minnesota.

Projects must aim to develop and accelerate enterprises, supply chains, and markets for CLC crops and cropping systems in the early stage of commercial development in Minnesota.

In 2022, the Minnesota Legislature provided funding to the MDA through the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) for grants to organizations in Minnesota to develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous living cover (CLC) crops and cropping systems in the early stage of commercial development. This includes, but not limited to, regenerative poultry silvopasture systems, Kernza® perennial grain, winter camelina, and elderberry.

The Request for Proposals for this one-time competitive grant opportunity opened Monday, March 13, 2023 and closed April 23, 2023. A summary of selected projects is included in the table below.

Organization Name Project Summary Award Total
Dawson Drug & Gifts Purchase a freeze dryer to expand the market of continuous living cover crops, primarily fruit. $50,000
Midwest Elderberry Cooperative Design, build, and test a continuous flow prototype elderberry destemmer that can be linked to a wash, dry, and freeze process conveyor line. $48,800
Regenerative Agriculture Alliance Purchase a mechanical harvester and two de-husking units for two hazelnut grower networks in Minnesota to hasten ongoing development of supply chains. $50,000
Nine Hazels Farm Improve greenhouse operation to produce hybrid hazelnut seedling plugs for sale. $29,657
Perennial Pantry Build team capacity and develop standard operating procedures to operationalize a processing plant dedicated to the production of CLC products. $50,000
Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative Develop capacities to and systems required to market Kernza. $50,000

Unused funds may be included in a second RFP in June 2024.

LCCMR Approved Project Work Plan

Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund logo

 

Funding for the program was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature provided funding to the MDA for grants to organizations in Minnesota to develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous-living cover crops and cropping systems in the early stages of commercial development. 

The first of two Requests for Proposals (RFP) for this competitive grant opened Monday, September 11, 2023 and closed October 2, 2023. A summary of selected project is included in the table below.

Organization Name Project Summary Award Total
Gertens Propagate up to 10,000 farm-ready hybrid hazelnut plants $50,000
MSX Nexgen Inc. Supply a regional location to preclean, dry, and store winter camelina, Kernza, and other CLC crops as needed. $50,000
Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative Expand marketing to existing customers and sales of Kernza grain to new customers. $48,000
River Rock Kitchen & Baking Co Incorporate Kernza into at least 75% of their baked goods. This project was featured in one of the Meet the Minnesota Makers articles. $50,000
Rookie Farmers, LLC Purchase a winter camelina cleaning trailer. $50,000

This grant round was funded with the remaining money allocated to the MDA by the LCCMR and the General Fund.

The Request for Proposals for this competitive grant opportunity opened June 10, 2024 and closed July 15, 2024. A summary of selected projects is included in the table below.

Organization Name Project Summary Award Total
Bang Brewing Company LLC Increase the percentage of Kernza® in their beer to meet the Perennial Percent™ label and improve marketing. Purchase and convert a van to sell beer as the sole brewer at Mill City Market. $45,000
Estling Farms Inc Develop a dedicated seed cleaning line for emerging continuous living cover crops. A new seed cleaning line will reduce the cost of CLC crop seed for farmers in northern Minnesota. $45,000
Midwest Elderberry Cooperative Improve the developing regional hub for harvested American elderberries by purchasing a used refrigerated container for storage and paving the driveway to accommodate large trucks. $45,000
Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC Purchase the equipment, supplies, and services needed for one aggregation station at a Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC Go First Farm in Minnesota. $44,772
Perennial Pantry Create marketing content and strategies to enhance capacity and increase sales of CLC products. $45,000
Perennial Promise Growers Continue market expansion for Kernza® and value-added products through customer lead generation/qualification/cultivation; provision of samples to prospective users; placement and fulfillment of orders; post-sale customer service; and coordination with value-added partners. $45,000
Regenerative Agriculture Alliance Purchase and distribute improved Midwest Hazelnut LLC plant material directly to growers involved with the Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agroforestry ecosystem. This project will also fund training opportunities for growers. $35,865
Sturdiwheat,Inc. Modify existing recipes to include 1% to 5% perennial grain flour and update the packaging design to highlight the perennial grains. $45,000
SUN Consulting Inc. Build a self-propelled, mound bed cutter to sever the new woody stem of hazelnuts below the new root base, to harvest 2-year-old, farm-ready, bare root “whips” from propagation beds. $36,000
Tree Range Farms Increase operational capacity to market the silvopasture poultry to Minnesota schools, communities, retailers, and restaurants. $45,000

 

 

 

Collage includes five photos. 1. Elderberries and elderberry wine; 2. Hazelnuts; 3. Chicken near an apple tree; 4. Camelina flower, seeds, and oil; 5. Machine harvesting Kernza.
These photos represent some of the continuous living cover crops and practices. Top left to right: elderberry, hazelnut, and Kernza®. Bottom left to right: poultry silvopasture and camelina.

For the purposes of this grant “continuous living cover crops and cropping systems” refer to agroforestry, perennial biomass, perennial forage, perennial grains, and winter-annual cereal grains and oilseeds that have market value as harvested or grazed commodities.